Container structure



June 7, 1960 w. 1. EVANS ETAL 2,939,601

CONTAINER STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I l s 2 s 1% E Z2 June 7, 1960 w EVANS r 2,939,601

CONTAINER STRUCTURE} 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 dl mL/nM/f Ewe/v5 52 m5 5L4/Vc0 INVENTORS Filed Aug. 26, 1957 2,939,601 CONTAINER STRUCTURE William I. Evans, 7343 Cleargrove Drive, Downey, Calif., and Elias Blanca, 5849 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif.

Filed Aug. 26, 1951, Set. No. 680,071 4 Claims. c1. 217-1z This invention relates to structures, and particularly to the structure of containers which may be assembled and disassembled. without the use of nails, screws, glue, or the other usual means of attaching various portions of a container. I j

In Evans and Blanco Patent No. 2,464,743 of March 15, 1949, a method of joining two or more elements is disclosed and claimed. A container using this method of joining elements is disclosed and claimed in Witte Patent No. 2,596,320 of May 13, 1952. The container of the Witte patent is a container in'which the reinforcing frame members are positioned within the container when eventually assembled. The present invention is of the type shown in the Witte patent, but which provides a container in which all interior surfaces are smooth, and one in which the top andjbottom sections, the two end sections, and the two side sections may be identical pairs so that the sections of each pair may beinterchanged and used in either position to speed up the assembly and disassembly of the container. Thus all frame members, cleats or struts are positioned exteriorly of the container. e

It has been found that' the use of a container having a smooth surface interior rather than spaced studs, cleats and cross members is preferred in the crating industry to provide better protection for many articles contained therein. Furthermore, the outer frame members are connected by simple economical square mortises, the smooth interior walls of the side and end sections extending beyond their frame'members to form a strong interlocking connection between them and the bottom and top members, The side members use straight outside cleats or struts, the large containers using one or more intermediate struts according to the size of the containers. These intermediate struts are simply mortised into the longer frame members'of the top and bottom sections of the container.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to facilitate the assembling and disassembling of articles, such as boxes, crates, and similar containers- Another object of the invention is to provide an improved reliable shippingcontainer having smooth interior walls and simple mortised joints between frame members. I

A further object of the'invention isto provide. a particularly strong container having smooth-interior walls, duplicate side members,- duplicate end members, and duplicate top and bottom members, ,which may be quickly assembled and disassembled as disclosed inthe above-mentioned Witte patent. n I

A better understanding-of this invention maybeflhad from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings; in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container embodying the invention;

Fig. 1; a

Fig. 2 is an exploded viewcf thecontaineri shown in United States Patent O Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of one corner of the container;

Fig. 4 is a detail view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one end section shown in Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings in which the same reference numerals indicate the same elements, a container is formed from two side sections shown generally at 5 and 6, two end sections shown generally at 7 and 8, a bottom section 9, and a top section 10.v The side section 6 is made up of a smooth panel or wall 12 having end frame members, cleats, or struts 13 and 14 to which panel 12 is fixedly attached in any suitable manner, these framed members being shorter in length than the width of the panel 12. The reason for this proportioning will be explained hereinafter.

Although small containers do not require a. central cleat, or strut, in the present figures one for section 6 is shown at 15 with flatmortised ends which extend to the side edges of the panel 12. The side section 5 is identical to section 6 and isshown with a panel 16 and a central cleat 17, studs similar to 13 and 14 being out of view.

The end section 7 is made up of a, panel or wall 19 attached to parallel frame members 20 .and 21 in any suitable manner, the ends thereof having square mortises and connected to the ends of parallel frame members 22 and 23. The end section 8 has its panel or wall 24, parallel frame members 25. and 26 towhich the panel is attached, and parallel frame members 27 and 28 attached by simple square mortises to parallel frame members 25 and 26. The mortised ends are permanently connected in any suitable manner. It willbe noted'that in both the end sections 7' and 8, the respective panels Hand 24 extend beyond the edges of their frame members 20-'-21 and 2526 similarly to panels 12 and 16 and end struts 13-14. v

-It will be noted that the vertical edges as shown in the drawing of panels19 and 24 of end sections 7 and 8 respectively are spaced from the inner edges of members 22-23 and 2728 by the thickness of panels 12 and 16 so that the end edges of panels 12 and 16 can abut members 2021 and 2526 respectively. This construction not only provides a completely smooth interior for the container but strengthens the side panels 12 and 16 since the surfaces of the end edgesof the panel 12 and 16 abut the side edges of panels 19 and 24(see Fig. 5). By positioning frame members 23 and 27 adjacent side frame members 13 and 14, respectively, and thesamefor the frame membersof panel 16, the end sectionsare prevented from moving toward one another.

Bottom member 9 has a smooth panel or wall 30, side frame members 31 and 32, and end frame members 33 and 34, the panel 30 being attached in any suitable manner to all four frame members, the ends of theframe members having square mortises, at which points they are fastened by nails, screws, or other suitable means. Referring now to the top member 10, this unit has side frame members 36 and 37 and end frame members 38 and 39. It is constructed identically to that of the bottom member 9, the ends of the frame members having square mortises which are attached in any suitable manner, a panel 40 being attached to all four frame members. i

As described in the above-mentioned Witte patent, the frame members 13 and 14 of section 6 and similar members of section 5 have simple circular mortises 42, 43, 44, and 45, which circular mortises have their axes at an angle to the edges of the members 13 and 14, and

i have cylindrical surfaces greater, than degrees, a.

preferred cylindrical surface being between 200 and 225 degrees. In the frame members 22 and 23 of end section 7, special cylindrical mortises are positioned, two of'which are shown at 4'7 and 48. Similar mortises are shown at 50 and 51 in the frame member 27 of .e ndsection 8. Similar mortises are positioned in frame members 22 of end section 7 and frame member 28 of end section 3.

Each of these special mortises are made up of two cylindrical portions, the portion with the smaller-diameter corresponding to the diameter and cylindrical surface of mortises 42, 43, 44 and 45, While the end portion of the mortise has a greater diameter and a circular surface of substantially 180 degrees. The cross sectional form of this double portion mortise is shown in Fig. 4 the smaller diameter portion surface being shown at 53, and the surface of the larger diameter portion being shown at 54.

' A spindle 55 is shown having its body portion in the smaller diameter portion of the mortises 50, 51, 47 and 48, and one of its larger end portions 56 in the larger diameter portion (see Fig. 3). Mortises similar to the double portion mortises just described are found in the side frame member 31 at 58 and 59 and in the side frame member 36 at 61 and 62. Similar mortises are in the side sections 32 and 37 of the bottom and top sections 9 and 10, respectively.

To assemble the above described bottom, top, side, and end sections, the side sections and 6 are positioned so that the lower portions of their panels 12 and 16 fit within the frame members of the bottom section 9, and .the lower edges of the side panels 12 and 16 contact the bottom panel 30, the lower ends of the frame members 13 and 14 and similar member of section 5 contacting the ends of the side frame members 31 and 32. The end 63 of the intermediate member 15 will now be accommodated in a mortise 64 in the side frame member 31, while the intermediate member 17 will have its lower end accommodated in a similar mortise on side frame member 32.

The next step in assembling the container is to place the two end sections 7 and 8 in position so that the vertical edges of panels 19 and 24 are between the panels 12 and 16, frame member 21 resting on frame member 34 and frame member 26 resting on frame member 33. When this is accomplished, the small diameter portions of the mortises 48 and 59 will have their axes in alignment with the mortise 45, while the small diameter sections of mortises 51 and 58 will have their axes in alignment with the axis of mortise 43. When this is accomplished, a spindle 65 may be positioned in mortises 45, 48 and 52,

and a spindle 66 may be positioned in mortises 43, 51, r

and 58, the spindles being inserted by positioning the axis of each spindle parallel with the axes of the mortises and moving the spindle into the holes, the smaller dimensions of the spindle passing through the side openings to the mortises. After this is accomplished, each spindle is rotated 90 degrees. There is thus provided a tight and secure lock, it being understood that similar spindles are positioned in the mortises in the members 22 and 28.

To complete the container, the top section 1% is placed so that the upper edges of the panels 12, 1-6, 19 and 24 contact the inner surface of panel 40 of the section It), and theends of the members 15 and 17 are positioned in the mortises 68 and 69. The next step is to place a spindle 71 in the mortises 44, 47, and 62 and a spindle 72 in mortises 42, 50 and 61. Similar spindles on the opposite side of the container will also be inserted to join end members 22 and 28 with side section 5 and .top frame member 37. It will be noted that if desired a strap 74 may be placed around the box over the members 15 and 17. To insure that the spindles do not turn during rough handling, staples such as shown at 75 may be driven over the spindles, these staples being easily removable.

As mentioned above, the interior of the box has a smooth surface over all six sides to protect the contents thereof, the panels extending into the top and bottom sections to provide a particularly strong container which may be easily assembled and disassembled as mentioned above. The type of spindles illustrated are of metal and are disclosed and claimed in our copending application, Ser. No. 505,443, filed May 2, 1955, now Patent No. 2,837,789.

We claim:

1. A container having smooth interior surfaces and adapted to be rapidly assembled and disassembled comprising a pair of identical side panels, a pair of frame members on the outer surface of'and at the ends of said side panels and having a length shorter than the Width of said panels and positioned at a distance from the end edges of said side panels, a pair of identical end panels, frame members extending completely around the edge portions of said end panels, two opposite edge portions of said end panels extending beyond the edges of two opposite frame members of said end panels, the edges of the other opposite edge portions of said end panels being, spaced at a distance from said other two opposite frame members, said distance being substantially the thickness of said side panels, and a pair of identical panels for completing'the closing of said container, each of said lastrnentioned pair of panels having a frame completely surrounding the panel portion -.of each panel on one side only of each panel portion .ofsaid pair of panels, two of the opposite frame members :ofsaid last-mentioned pair of panels completing the frame for said side panels when said panels are assembled, the extending portions of said end panels being positioned within and in contact with the end frame members of said last-mentioned pair of panels, the portions of the side panels extending beyond the ends of said side panel frame members being positioned on the inside of the side frame members of said last-mentioned pair of panels to form a complete smooth interior surface, the spaces between said other opposite edge portions of said end panels and said other two frame members of said end panels accommodating the edge portions of said side panels, the end edges of said side panels abutting said first-mentioned opposite frame members of said'end panels to aidin preventing movement of said end panels toward one another, theedges of said end panels preventing movement of said 'side panels toward one another, and said pair of frame members at the ends of said side panels being adjacent said other two opposite frame members .of said end panels.

2. A container in accordance with :claim .1 in which at least .one frame member is positioned parallel with and between .said pair of frame members on said side panels, means being provided for holding :said panels in assembly. 7

3. A container comprising a pair of side sections, a pair of end sections, a bottom section and a top section, each of said sections having a panel portion and frame portions, said sidesections having and frames on the outer surface of and ofa length shorter than the width of said panel portions thereof andspaced from the end edges of said panel portions, said end sections having a frame completely surrounding the panel portions thereof, two opposite edge portions of said panel portions extending beyond two opposite frame members, said other opposite frame memberssof said end sections having their sides extending beyond the surface of said panel portions, the edges of said other opposite edge portions of said panel of said endsections being spaced a distance from said other opposite frame members of said end sections, said distance being substantially the thickness of said panel portions of said sidesections, said bottom and top sections having side and 'end frame members extending completely around the panel portions thereof and positioned flush withthe edges of said panel portions, theouter surface portions of the panels of said side'sectio'ns extending beyond the ends of said frame members thereof being positioned in contact with the inner sides of said opposite side frame members of said bottom and top sections, the

S outersurfaces of said extending panel portions of said end sections being positioned in contact with the inner sides of the endtframe members of said bottom and top sections, the end portions of said side sections extending beyond the end frame members thereof being positioned in contact with the inner sides of the opposite frame sections of said end sections extending beyond the surface of the panels thereof, the spaces between said edges of said other opposite edge portions of said panel of said end sections and said other opposite frame members of said end sections accommodating the edge portions of said side panels, the end edges of said side panels abutting said first-mentioned opposite frame members of said end sections to aid in preventing movement of said end sections toward one another, the edges of said panels of said end sections preventing movement of said side sections toward one another, and the end frames of said panels of said side sections being adjacent said other opposite frame members of said end sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 722,249 Pixley Mar. 10, 1903 1,602,658 Germain Oct. 12, 1926 1,602,818 Geddes Oct. 12, 1926 1,696,693 Rosenberger Dec. 25, 1928 1,737,186 Champlain Nov. 26, 1929 2,596,320 Witte May 13, 1952 

